[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 139 (Wednesday, August 5, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4897-S4898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            COVID-19 HEROES

  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to join my many colleagues 
familiar with agriculture--the farmers, ranchers, growers, everybody in 
the food chain--and my thanks to Senator Ernst for really starting 
this, making a great speech last week. We are all trying to follow up 
with the same message to shine a spotlight on our Nation's COVID-19 
heroes.
  We have heard the term ``hero'' a lot during this pandemic. I believe 
the title is warranted to describe the many Kansans and, for that 
matter, all Americans who are doing extraordinary work and making great 
sacrifices to make this country safer and healthier.
  Today, I want to talk about the heroes--the special heroes in 
agriculture: our farmers, our ranchers, our growers. The Sun comes out 
every day. A lot of us are in safe places. We have decided that is the 
best alternative for us, and so we have a lot of shutdowns.
  Not farm country. The farmers, ranchers, and growers, they don't have 
that option. They have to do what they have to do in terms of planting 
their crops, harvesting their crops, taking care of their crops. They 
work long hours, day in and day out, to produce

[[Page S4898]]

the food on our dinner tables and make sure our supermarket shelves are 
stocked.
  These producers are facing low prices, regulatory overreach, a 
challenging trade environment, and drastic and sudden changes in demand 
for their crops and animals. To top it off, net farm income is 
estimated to drop by nearly $20 billion as of this year. Despite all 
these challenges, they have continued to produce even more with less.
  American farmers and ranchers are so efficient at their jobs that we 
are able to enjoy the most affordable food of any country in the 
world--and the most safe. We also have the safest and most ample food 
supply.
  That is why I consider--as well as all of my colleagues on the 
Agriculture Committee and others who are privileged to represent 
farmers, ranchers, and growers--that they are true heroes.
  Producing food for a troubled and hungry world is what farmers do day 
in and day out, but especially at times like this, it is nothing short 
of heroic. We have taken steps to address the needs of our Nation's 
farmers and ranchers, and in recent months--in March--unanimously, we 
passed the CARES Act.
  I would say that would be a goal we might want to achieve with the 
Heroes Act scaled down to whatever we want to call it--and also the 
HEALS Act. At any rate, it was unanimous back then, and that funded the 
Department of Agriculture to address the needs related to the pandemic, 
among a lot of other things.
  We included $9.5 billion for Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to 
deliver emergency support for those in agriculture and the food 
industry who suffered losses due to the pandemic, and we included $14 
billion partial replenishment for the Department of Agriculture's 
Commodity Credit Corporation to provide additional assistance to 
affected producers. This legislation ensured the continued 
implementation of our 2018 farm bill programs, which do provide 
certainty and predictability at a time when both are scarce.
  We also provided additional resources for telemedicine, broadband 
connectivity, as well as business and industry loans. The CARES Act 
also supplied the Department with the resources to continue mandatory 
inspection services to ensure our food safety and minimize potential 
interruption in the food supply chain.
  COVID-19 created a ripple effect that has been felt from the farm to 
the supermarket. The agriculture and food sector, along with the 
administration, the CDC, and OSHA have all implemented practices and 
policies that address worker health and safety in our processing 
plants. Keeping America's meat and poultry processing system functional 
was imperative--it was difficult, but we are making progress--as was 
boosting worker safety and protection in these plants.
  Now we must take what lessons we have learned in the past few months 
and build upon this progress.
  I am privileged to be the chairman of the Senate Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. I have worked on the role of 
addressing rural America's priorities as part of a fourth COVID-19 
relief package, as have all members of the committee, both Democrat and 
Republican.
  This week, we are considering legislation with the hopes of a 
bipartisan solution. We all know and we anticipate this process will go 
through several twists and turns before a final agreement is reached, 
but we must provide solutions. The entire country is truly counting on 
us.
  In closing, I want to again thank our farmers, our ranchers, and our 
growers all across the country who have continued to do their job 
during these very difficult times, and I want them to know that we are 
continuing to work to make sure they have the tools needed to continue 
to feed not only our country but a very troubled and hungry world.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
  Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, as we debate the need for additional 
coronavirus relief funding, I am pleased to join my colleagues in 
commending the millions of Americans who have gone above and beyond to 
help others during this pandemic.
  Throughout our Nation's history, everyday heroes emerge in times of 
turmoil to aid their neighbors in so many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic 
is no exception. In every corner of my State, Mississippi's first 
responders and healthcare providers are historically stepping into 
harm's way to provide care to patients affected by the virus.

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